Creators
Who created Spock? The answer is obvious to any fan: the Great Bird, Gene Roddenberry. But his character was a rough sketch, to be colored by the actor and refined by the series' writers. The question then becomes, who shaped Spock? Starting with Gene, we'll look at everyone who can be credited with developing this multifaceted character.
Gene Roddenberry. Star Trek's creator wanted an alien among his crew, someone visibly distinct from the human officers. Though the pointed ears caused endless grief for the makeup artists of The Cage, the desired effect was eventually achieved. Upon seeing this pilot, network execs told Gene to "lose the woman and the Martian." Stubbornly he kept Spock and gave him the cool personality of the female Number One. Roddenberry was also directly responsible for the casting of . . .
Leonard Nimoy. The contributions of Nimoy to Spock's character simply can't be overstated. Aside from his considerable acting chops, he also invented the hand salute and nerve pinch, and gave form to the mind meld. Any line or scene that seemed out of place he aimed to correct, and instead of simply complaining came up with his own clever ideas for quick fixes. As director of The Search for Spock and The Voyage Home and writer for The Undiscovered Country he had control over Spock through the films.
Dorothy Fontana. A staff writer on TOS, Dorothy was credited as "D.C. Fontana" due to '60s sexism in the screen trade. She portrayed the softer side of Spock, writing three pivotal episodes: This Side of Paradise, Journey to Babel, and the animated Yesteryear. The first is a touching love story, the second, an introduction to Spock's parents, and the third, a turning point in Spock's childhood. She also penned a novel reinforcing these themes, Vulcan's Glory, and treated submitted scripts to ensure continuity. Though her personality is of course different, she is much like Amanda, spurring on Spock's emotional development and not letting him forget his human half. Her two TOS scripts are among the series' most memorable, and broaden viewers' understanding of the Vulcan immensely.
Theodore Sturgeon. This acclaimed science fiction author wrote only one script for TOS, but it's a whopper: Amok Time. In contrast to Fontana's scripts, it emphasizes Spock's masculinity and alien nature. It also remains the reference point for Vulcan society. The image of pon farr-driven Spock chocking the life out of his beloved captain is as striking as his love scenes, and just as necessary for the character. Sturgeon, an "outside" influence, was to one to push Spock to extremes.
Gene L. Coon. TOS's "other" Gene, a producer, was more present for the actual production in seasons one and two than executive producer Roddenberry. To him we can credit the famous Spock-McCoy rivalry and Kirk and Spock's affection, as well as many other subtle interactions in season two. His departure was one factor in the decreased quality of the third season. His presence was crucial in establishing the Starfleet officers we know and love.
Many other talented writers, directors, and producers had a hand in continuing Spock's adventures, but those above created a full-fledged character for others to work with. It's noticeable when Spock acts